


promises to keep

by staticbees



Series: stopping by woods on a snowy evening [2]
Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-24
Updated: 2018-05-24
Packaged: 2019-05-13 09:57:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14746661
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/staticbees/pseuds/staticbees
Summary: After the aftermath, Church follows up.





	promises to keep

The bright afternoon sun beams down on Carolina, dust motes dancing in the hazy light. She closes her eyes, staring at the dull red behind her eyelids. Her armor lies discarded, tossed haphazardly onto a nearby armchair, and she has a steaming cup of coffee clutched in her hands. Sunlight shines through a window, warm and golden on her face. 

 

She smiles slightly. “It’s nice to have some peace and quiet for once.” 

 

Wash looks up, startled, before relaxing slightly. “Yeah,” he says softly. “It is.”

 

Adjusting to life after Chorus was tough. They had spent so long trying to survive from one day to the next, that it was laughable to even think about what they would do after the war. After Chorus was at peace, the day was saved, and there was nothing left to do but sit, and think. Occasionally, her mind drifted back to Freelancer, to all the things she could’ve done differently. To how she could have saved everyone. But she shakes it off, and focuses on the present, because not staying in the past is a lesson she learned a long time ago, and she’d be a hypocrite if she didn’t follow her own advice.

 

The battle with Hargrove’s forces took a toll on all of the Reds and Blues. They barely made it out alive, battered and bruised, with wounds that wouldn’t heal, and memories that wouldn’t fade, even after years of peace. They don’t like to talk about what happened on the Staff of Charon. Carolina doesn’t press them for answers. 

 

The Reds and Blues are outside right now, probably antagonizing yet another dinosaur, or fabricating some other idiotic war to fight, now that they’re retired. She rolls her eyes. At least they aren’t actively trying to get themselves killed. She figures that’s the best she can hope for at the moment. 

 

There’s a flash of light, and Epsilon flickers into existence over Carolina’s shoulder. His holographic projection is dim, but his armor still shimmers pale blue in the sunlight, soft glow tinting Carolina’s hair a faint purple. He glances over at her.

 

“Where’s Caboose?” he demands, arms crossed.

 

“He’s outside.” She pauses. “What’d he do this time?”

 

“Nothing. Surprisingly.”

 

Carolina glances at him, raising an eyebrow. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

 

Epsilon shuffles his feet, looking slightly embarrassed. “I said I’d spend the afternoon with him.” 

 

Carolina stares at him, disbelieving, and he hastily backtracks, defensive. “Well, I mean, he hasn’t been feeling well, and Tucker’s been busy doing his own… stuff, and besides Donut, he doesn’t really want to hang out with the Reds, and-” 

 

Carolina looks amused. She grins, a slight laugh escaping her lips.  

 

“What?!” Epsilon snaps, irritated. He opens his mouth to say something else, but cuts himself off. 

 

There’s a moment of silence, and he uncrosses his arms, looking vaguely uncomfortable. “Listen. I... almost died back there. If I had… he would’ve been devastated. I can’t do that to him. Not again.” He sighs. “Not after what happened to Alpha.”

 

Wash shifts uncomfortably on the other side of the room, but doesn’t say anything. Carolina glances at Epsilon, surprised. “I wasn’t trying to make fun of you,” she says. “I’m glad that you’re finally warming up to him.”

 

Church grumbles something under his breath, but doesn’t argue. He flickers out of sight, presumably off to go find Caboose. 

 

Washington looks up from his book, and shrugs. “Glad they’re finally getting along.”

 

"Yeah. Me too."


End file.
